Just got back to Portland, and thought I'd check in.
We had a great time, and the kids were asking when we are going to go to another Seahawks game!
Thanks all for the advice, it was very helpful!
We drove up on Sunday morning, and paid $35 to park in the SafeCo parking garage. That is more than I've ever paid for parking before (with the exception of when I've had a parking ticket here in Portland), but it was nice to have our car so close to the stadium. In the end, that only figured to be slightly more than the Link would have been, and about equal to the Sounder. We could have found parking nearby that would have been cheaper, but it was nice to have the GPS direct us right to the lot.
We got there early enough to enjoy TD City for a couple of hours beforehand, and took advantage of the 20% off sale on home jerseys (my son got a #3, and I got a #12).
We bought the kids hot dogs inside TDC before the game, and the wife and I enjoyed the recommended ones across from the events center after the game.
Our stadium is LOUD!!! None of us wore the earplugs we brought, and we forgot the lozenges in the car, but have no regrets! It was a great time, and the Hawks pulled out a win despite some crap officiating (what's new?)!
Again, thanks to this community for all the good information regarding the gameday experience.
Now the wife and I are interested in comparing our stadium perception to what the cameras caught, along with commentary. To the DVR!